HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Xīn Nián Kuài Lè!
CHINESE NEW YEAR BANQUET
Come and join us to welcome in
THE YEAR OF THE HORSE
Sunday, 16th February 2014 at 6.30 pm
Dragons Restaurant, 25 Tory St
Ambassador Wang Lutong and Patron Hon Philip Burdon will be attending
The cost, including wine and juice, is:
$38 per person for non-members and $33 for financial members
To book, please send the registration form to the Treasurer by Monday, 10th February.
The registration form also includes a membership renewal form if you are not able to attend the banquet but still wish to renew your society membership.
Electronic Banking is available for payment. Details are provided on the registration form. When making an electronic payment, please ensure your name is specified as part of the payment details.
No last minute arrivals please
IDIOM OF THE MONTH (from Ray Brownrigg)
覆巢无完卵 fù cháo wú wán luǎn (literally: overturn nest no entire egg)
When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken – In a disaster everyone will feel the consequences
ALSO COMING UP THIS MONTH (see below for details)
27 February, 5pm Shanghai Cinema seminar, Kelburn Parade
27 February, 7:15pm NZCLA Chinese Film, 101 Wakefield St
REPORT ON LAST MEETING (from Justin Ngai)
Pat Stuart, our Wellington nominee of the annual Prominent Persons and Leaders Delegation, gave the November monthly meeting presentation. Pat is the current Chief Executive of the Wellington Museums Trust and the delegation provided her first visit to China. Her expertise in museums gave her a unique outlook on China, whose own museum scene has been growing rapidly. The speaker noted that there are a staggering one hundred Chinese museums being built every year. Experts predict there to be 5500 museums in China by 2020. There has been a recent shift in Chinese policies towards an increase in quality of life, and not just economic growth. The emergence of museums certainly seems to reflect this change of perspective. Some are calling museums the new Chinese cultural revolution.
Museums and heritage sites are where the local stories get told, and so those are the places Pat visited on tour. Well-known landmarks visited included the Yellow Crane Tower, Terracotta Warriors and Horses, and the Stone Forest in Yunnan. World-class museums such as the Shaanxi History Museum, and the Hubei Provincial Museum were also visited. The majority of the presentation however did not revolve around these sites. Rather, Pat focused her talk around three smaller museums because of the contrasts they posed when held alongside New Zealand museums.
The Yunnan Baiyao Group Museum, for example, was erected in celebration of the incredibly successful pharmaceutical company it was named after. Many of its products were on display – ranging from sticking plasters, pills, to toothpastes. Surprisingly, Pat noted that none of these products could be bought on site. The tour guide had to take the group to a pharmacy instead. This, the speaker inferred, showed that the museum was not desperate for funding. This would never happen in New Zealand.
The Memorial Park of Chairman Li Xiannian, and the Shiliuhong Village Museum both celebrated the history of communism in China. The former focused on the earlier part of Chairman Li’s career, characterised by acts of diplomacy. The Chairman made agreements with historical figures such as Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagen, and Richard Nixon. The Shiliuhong Village Museum had a broader communist focus, with posters of not just Chinese leaders, but figures overseas too, such as Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Both museums emerged due to strong local interests to tell their history. This struck a chord with Pat, since many New Zealand museums have emerged due to similar reasons.
With the great economic growth in China comes an equally great desire for the Chinese to express their cultural identity. We can expect this pride in their history to continue as the descendants of the dragon take further steps into the 21st century.
NZCFS WELLINGTON BRANCH 2014 AGM The 2014 AGM of the Wellington Branch will be held on March 19th at 5:45pm at Connolly Hall, after which Ambassador Wang Lutong will address the meeting.
NZCFS 2014 TOUR: Explore China – the Northeast, May 28-June 20, 2014
This tour visits selected sites in the North Eastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, as well as Shandong province. It explores the historical influence of the Russians and Japanese in Manchuria; visits amazing scenery such as the sacred mountain at Taishan and the Changbaishan volcano, a 3,000 metre mountain and nature reserve on the North Korean border; as well as discovering regional cultures and cuisine as far north as Harbin. At all inclusive cost of $6950 for 21 days fully escorted by an experienced NZCFS leader and our favourite Chinese guide, the tour is of exceptional value. More details, including the full itinerary, are on our website: nzchinasociety.org.nz/15126/explore-china-the-northeast-tour/ For more information please contact Ann White, [email protected] or phone: 03 614 8944.
MANDARIN GUIDES NEEDED BY TE PAPA
Te Papa is seeking Mandarin speakers to be trained up to deliver 60 minute guided tours of Te Papa. If you’re interested or you know of someone that could be keen please contact [email protected] or 381 7265.
“FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF REWI ALLEY” NOVEMBER 2013 TOUR REPORTS
Wellington branch members Russell Metge and Susie Shaw (4th and 5th from right), NZCFS representatives, were amongst the 10 young persons selected to go on the tour. Other participants came from the NZ Chinese Youth Federation, the Asia NZ Foundation, the NZ-China Council, the Minister of Maori Affairs and the Young Nats.
The tour was organised by the New Zealand Chinese Youth Federation, and was significantly funded by the NZCFS Simon Deng Li Fund from the NZ end.
To read full reports from Russell and Susie click on Russell’s Report and Susie’s Report.
On their return they were hosted to a reception at the Parliament by Dr Jian Yang MP who travelled with the tour. There the group was interviewed by Lynda Chanwai-Earle, and her interview was broadcast on Radio NZ Voices on 20 January www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2582792
NZCFS Wellington Branch President Michael Powles and VP Christine Strickland attended the reception.
SHANGHAI-NEW ZEALAND WRITERS’ EXCHANGE
The first significant literary exchange between NZ and China continues this year with an invitation for a New Zealand writer to spend two months in Shanghai. A writer from Shanghai will hold a similar fellowship at the Michael King Writers’ Centre in Auckland in 2015. The exchange follows the inaugural Rewi Alley Fellowship in May 2013, when Huo Yan, a 25-year-old writer from Beijing, held a two-month residency at the Michael King Writers’ Centre with funding through the NZ China Friendship Society.
The project is a partnership between the New Zealand China Friendship Society, the Michael King Writers’ Centre, the Shanghai Writers’ Association and the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The Shanghai Writers’ Association will fund the 2014 residency, while the NZ China Friendship Society will fund the 2015 residency via their Simon Deng Li Fund, established in 2012 to encourage cultural links between New Zealand and China.
The selected writer will join an established international writers’ programme run by the Shanghai Writers’ Association, the city’s most prestigious literary organisation, in September and October this year.
The writers receive free accommodation in an inner-city apartment, a small stipend for living expenses and return air travel. They’re invited to take part in discussions and literary events and are required to write an article on a nominated theme before the residency starts. Apart from that obligation, the writers are able to work on a project of their choice.
New Zealand applications will close on Friday March 7 and should be posted or emailed to the Michael King Writers’ Centre. Application details can be found on the centre’s website www.writerscentre.org.nz. The selection will be made by a panel appointed by the Michael King Writers’ Centre and the NZ China Friendship Society.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 23-25 May 2014
The 2014 National Conference and AGM will be hosted by Hawkes Bay Branch at the Havelock North Function Centre, with the theme “Voices for Youth”. Hawkes Bay President Sally Russell and her dedicated team have been working hard on preparing a very interesting and entertaining programme. Sally says, “Quite simply, we want you to have a great time with us” and they are very keen to showcase the Hawkes Bay region well known for food and wine. Registration forms will be available soon and more details will be in the next newsletter.
WELLINGTON BRANCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS WELCOME THE NEW AMBASSADOR
Last November 11 several of the Wellington Branch Committee welcomed the new Chinese Ambassador to Wellington at an informal reception at the Chinese Embassy. Pictured from left are: Graham Gibbs, Yuan Yuan (Cultural Section), Annette Meates, Bernie Richmond, President Michael Powles, Ambassador Mr Wang Lutong, Vice-President Christine Strickland, Xing Yuchun (Political Section), Han Lixin (Cultural Section).
CHINESE FILM 中国电影
Date: Thursday 27 February Time: 7.15pm Venue: Committee Room One, Wellington City Council, 101 Wakefield Street. Gold coin donation. 7.15pm: For there to be love 因为有爱 (90 minutes, 2001)
MEETING DATES 2014: The dates for which Connolly Hall has been booked for NZCFS monthly meetings this year are: 19 March, 23 April, 21 May, 22 June, 20 July, 20 August, 17 September, 15 October, 19 November.
SEMINAR “Wang Renmei and Shanghai Cinema of the 1930’s”
The Confucius Institute and The School of Languages and Cultures at VUW presents Dr Richard J. Meyer, 3.30pm—5.00pm on Thursday, 27 February 2014 in VZ606, von Zedlitz Building, Kelburn Campus
Wang Renmei was on a fast track to become one of China’s leading film stars in the 1930s. Her early films were received with magnificent praise by audiences and critics alike, though she later lamented that she became famous too early and never had a chance to properly study acting.
Wang’s personal struggles reflected the turbulent period from the end of the Qing dynasty to the rise of Deng Xiaoping. Meyer explores Wang’s artistic achievements amid the prevalent anti-feminist and feudal society in China prior to the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949 — attitudes which contributed to the downturn of Wang’s promising career and forced her to accept various bit parts. In addition, personal problems as well as the Anti-Rightist Movement and the Cultural Revolution led to her hospitalization for mental illness. Wang’s life is emblematic of the experiences of many left-wing and Communist Party members from the Shanghai film community who were viewed with suspicion by Mao and later the Gang of Four.
Dr Meyer will present the film Wild Rose after his talk. The motion picture established Wang Renmei as one of the leading film stars in China. Refreshments will be provided by Confucius Institute.
MANDARIN SPEECH GROUP LAUNCHED IN WELLINGTON
This year has been a landmark year in our joint economic history, with China overtaking Australia as New Zealand’s major trading partner. In 2013, China-New Zealand trade has reached $16 billion and now accounts for one in every five dollars of our overseas trade. The key to unlocking more of those billions of dollars in trade is great communication. Although many Chinese people speak English, Western trading partners who can speak Mandarin at professional level has been a major advantage. Being able to speak Mandarin well is crucial in establishing a good Guanxi, or relationship. Good Guanxi improves the potential to clinch the deal. If you can speak the language more fluently, not only are you communicating more effectively, you have a deeper and richer understanding of the culture you are encountering.
The Mandarin Speech Group was established in September 2013 by a few Wellingtonians, including Jeanne McKnight, Jason Young and Vallen Han. The group met at the dinner function after New Zealand China business symposium in Wellington.
Both Jeanne and Jason have lived and learnt their Chinese in China. They find Chinese is useful for their work, but found it difficult to maintain it in New Zealand due to the lack of a language environment. As a result, the club was created to create an environment for professional people around Wellington to improve their language skills.
The club meetings are held weekly at New Zealand Post House in downtown Wellington. The meeting follows a similar format to International Toastmasters Clubs – a series of speeches, followed by an evaluation for the speakers to receive some feedback. The meetings last for 45-50 minutes and are conducted only in Mandarin.
The club has attracted a number of professionals from organisations around Wellington, including Wellington City Council, MFAT, MPI, Asia NZ Foundation, Victoria University, New Zealand Customs, and New Zealand Post, just to name a few.
The club has an excellent mix of people with multi-lingual and multi-cultural backgrounds. Some members are non-native Mandarin speakers who have experienced Chinese culture and learnt Chinese, while others are native Mandarin speakers who live in New Zealand and learnt English as a second language. Both groups appreciate the culture difference and diversity, and enjoy sharing their cultural insights, including during the meeting’s ‘theme of the week’, which involves topics such as living in China, Chinese food, work in China, and even Chinese songs…
The club offers sincere thanks for the great support from New Zealand Post, Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington, Asia NZ Foundation, and Wellington City Council.
A reporter from the local Chinese newspaper – The New Life – Ms. Hong Yuan takes part in the club meetings and reports the events for the local Chinese community.
So far the club meetings have been extremely successful with the trial group and we hope to have more members join us in early February 2014. The club is for people with intermediate to advanced level Mandarin. If you are interested, please contact Ana Baide at [email protected] for more information.
(from China Now – NZ China Trade Association Newsletter, Nov 2013. Article provided by: Vallen Han, Asian Marketing Director, New Zealand Post. Contact number 027 623 2218)
